Sight for firearms.



N0. 833,905. PATENTED OCT. 23, 1906,.

1 J. WINDRIDGE. I

SIGHT FOR FIREARMS.

APPLICATION FILED un 1a. 1905.

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l/mimwwa fiery @w/fiWLE/Q 7%7 Zines idye Mex/mea JAMES WINDRIDGE, OF MIDDLEFlELD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE LYMAN GUN SIGHT CORPORATION, F MIDDLEFIELD, CONNECTICUT,

A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

SIGHT FOR FIREARMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 23, 19. .6-

Application filed March 18,1905. Serial No. 250,756-

To 00% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JAMES WINDRIDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middlefield, in the county of Middlesex and State of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sights for Firearms, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a front sight for firearms embodying a series of bead-sights combined in a rotary sight-head which is journaled and adapted to be turned upon a horizontal axis on the sight-base to present the variously-colored or different sights to the line of aim as required.

The invention consists in the novel combination, with the sight-head, of a novel detent-spring for retaining the sights in position and in the arrangement and construction of parts, as hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved sight as viewed in the line of aim or along the gun-barrel when the sight is mounted on a firearm. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section transverse to the line of aim with the sight in the same position as to elevation shown in Fig. 1. Fig. '3 is a plan view of Fig. 1 viewed from the top. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of Fig. 1 or end view taken transverse to the line of aim. Fig. '5 is a plan view of the sight viewed from its lower side. Fig. 6 is ,a central vertical section lengthwise of the axis of the sight-head or in the line of aim. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the base viewed from its lower side. Fig. 8 is a plan view of the detent-spring detached, and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the same.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the base of my improved sight, the lower part of which islmade of the ordinary dovetailed shape in crosssection, as shown, for the purpose of being held in the usual and well known correspondingly shaped transverse sight-receiving notch or seat of the gunbarrel. lel sides or ears I), which are perforated centrally near their upper edges to receive an arbor or pin (1 lengthwise of the line of aim or parallel with the axis of the gun-barrel when the base is placed in position thereon. The parts 9 at the ends of the base joining the sides I) at their ends extend upward nearly It is formed with the vertical paral to the horizontal plane of the pin (1, thus providing a cavity for the reception and protection of the sight-head F, as hereinafter set forth. On the lower side of the base is a central lengthwise recess j, transverse to the arbor d and line of aim, which cuts through into and communicates with the cavity above it, as shown in Figs. 2, 6, and 7.

The sight part F comprises four radial arms 6, each terminating in an enlarged cylindrical part or sight-abutment i, at the forward end of which is inserted a bead-sight n, all equidistant from its center, as shown. The central hub h at the junction of the said arms is perforated longitudinally throughout to provide a bearing for the reception of the arbor or pin d, upon which the sight-head is journa led and adapted to rotate, snugly fitted between the sides 1) in the cavity formed by them and the parts g, as hereinbefore described. The side I) and the radial arms 6 are so proportioned andarranged that when the sight-head is fitted in place upon its arbor d and turned to bring any one of its four sights r2, centrally above the sides and into the line of aim, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, all the other sights will remain below the ears and within the cavity, wholly concealed from view in the said line of aim.

The method of retaining the sight-head in position to presentone of its sights in the line of aim or in the vertical plane of and vertically above the arbor d is as follows: In the cavity 3' on the lower side of the base is fitted a spring 1, comprising a tongue of elastic sheet metal having a perforation m at one end for the reception of a screw 79, by means of which it is rigidly secured to the solid end portion 9 of the base, as shown inFig. 2. Midway of its length the spring is bent to form a central depression or curved notch 25, which lies in the central vertical plane of the axis or arbor d and in the path of the outer cylindrical surfaces of the sight-abutments L. Hence in operation as the sight-head is rotated the sight-abutments i willbe engaged and yieldingly held by the notch 15 of the spring. The impact of the notched part of the spring with the lowermost sight-abutment will hold the head stationary with the opposite or uppermost bead-sightn in the sighting position or line of aim; but a sufiicient amount of force will swing the sightabutment out of engagement with the notch t by the camming action of the abutment thereon and corresponding deflection of the spring. Thus the sight-head may be turned to bring any one of the beads it into sighting position as required. The several sights are difi'erently colored to provide for various sighting conditions or different lights or fields ot-visionas, for instance, one may be of pure white ivory, another red or otherwise tinted, one silver-ed or bronzed, and the other blackened.

It will be perceived that the accuracy of the sight or its alin ement with the axis of the gun-barrel will not ordinarily be affected by wear of the parts in this construction, for the reason that the upward pressure of the spring always tends to centralize the sight-abutment in the notch 25 and also the arbor (Z in the bearing of the sight-head. Hence the sight is always held steady in its proper position, which is of the utmost importance in securing a true aim, for a very slight diverence of the sight-head from perfect alinement with the axis of the gun-barrel will be multiplied in proportion to the distance of the object aimed at.

I claim anddesire tosecure by Letters Patent- 1. -A sight for firearms comprising in combination a base, a rotary sight-head horizontally journaled in the base and provided with I a balanced number of sight-carrying arms and a spring secured to the base and provided with a detent-notch for engaging but one of the sight-arms at a time to hold the sight-head stationary and with a sight in sighting position, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A sight for firearms, comprising in combination a base, a rotary sight-head horizontally journaled in the base and provided with opposite radial arms and sight-carrying abutments, and a spring secured to the base and provided with a detent-notch for engaging the sight-abutments toholdthe sight-head stationary with the opposite sight in sighting position, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

3. A sight for firearms, comprising in combination the base provided with the vertical ears, I), and end portion, g, and having a recess, on its lower side cutting into and communicating with the cavity between said ears and end portions, a horizontal arbor centrally supported by the ears, the rotary sight-head mounted 011 the arbor comprising the arms,

e, terminating in the sight-abutments, t, and provided with the bead-sights, n, and the spring, Z, received in the recess, j, secured to an end portion, g, of the base and provided with a detent-notch, t, for engaging the abutments of the head to hold the same with the opposite sights in sighting position, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

4. A sight for firearms, comprising a retary head carrying a balanced number of oppositely-arranged arms, and means for lock ing said head from rotation comprising yieldinglyengaging coacting members, one of which has a notch or cavlty and the other a projection conforming to the shape of the notch, or cavity, and said arms, one at a time, constituting one of said coaeting members.

5. A rotary sight-head having a balanced number of arms or spurs, and a spring provided with. a detent-notch conforming to and 1 adapted to engage any individual member of the arms or spurs to hold the sight-head stationary with an arm or spur in sighting position, substantially as and for the purpose specified. I

In testimony whereof I affiX my signature in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- 7 JAMES WINDRIDGE. Witnesses IRADELL L. CooK, GORDAN S. Goonnren. 

